


may I have this dance?

by lilyshoneybee



Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: Drabble, F/F, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Oneshot, gals being pals amirite, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-26
Updated: 2019-07-26
Packaged: 2020-07-20 13:04:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19992682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilyshoneybee/pseuds/lilyshoneybee
Summary: Hope saves Lizzie from an awkward situation at her Sweet Sixteen.





	may I have this dance?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Cande (for the idea)](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Cande+%28for+the+idea%29).



> If it’s not obvious, this takes place in a slight canon divergence where the twins’ Sweet Sixteen went without incident, other than Rafael and Lizzie drama.

The party’s in full swing by the time Hope arrives. She’s a little late, sure, but she was convinced no one would notice. And given by how engrossed everyone seems in the party, she assumes she must have been correct.

She stands at the bottom of the staircase, allowing herself to scan the room. MG sits in a chair, slouched over and staring at the ground, rejection hanging over him like a cloud. She inhales sharply, and counts herself lucky that she wasn’t around to see whatever brought him to be like that.

Josie dances with Penelope, towards the centre of the room. Hope’s eyebrow shoots up to see this. Josie’s certainly _willing_ to dance with Penelope, maybe even… happy to do so? She seems to have done a 180 in her opinion of Penelope in the last 24 hours. _Well, good for them,_ Hope thinks to herself, _if they make each other happy, who’s anyone else to judge?_

Other students are in various positions, dancing alone, or in pairs, or in groups, or sat at tables, stood talking, or flirting, or whatever it is people do at parties. Hope swallows an immense feeling of loneliness.

Finally, her eyes focus upon the couple right in the centre of the hall, and she feels her whole being relax, as though this is who she’d been looking for all along.

_Weird._ _What’s so special about Rafael?_

Then it hits her, like a tonne of bricks _._ Not Rafael.

_Lizzie._

It was as soon as her eyes found the blonde that Hope felt her heart calm to a normal rhythm. It was in that moment she didn’t feel so alone anymore.

_Fuck._

Hope finds herself totally unable to take her eyes away from Lizzie now. And her forehead creases as she observes the pair. She’d expected Lizzie to be far more confident, far more flirty. A lot more like she’d seen Josie been just moments before. But she’s not. There’s a stiffness to her, and as Hope studies her a little more carefully, she notices how her expression lacks a smile. She’s too far to tell if Lizzie is close to tears, but she assumes so.

It’s not just Lizzie, either. Rafael’s body language is awkward too. They’re dancing in the way Hope would imagine a couple forced into a marriage would, centuries ago. Not in the way she imagined Elizabeth Saltzman, of all people, to dance at her Sweet Sixteen.

Before she even realises what she’s doing, or has the chance to talk herself out of it, Hope finds herself walking towards the pair. Now closer, she can see that Lizzie _is_ trying not to cry, and that Rafael has a look of pained guilt twisted into his expression.

Hope takes a breath. And once again, her body works too quickly for her head, and she taps Lizzie’s shoulder, causing the blonde to start, and turn to face her. On realising it’s Hope stood in front of her, Lizzie looks as though she’s seen a ghost.

“Hope,” Lizzie’s voice shakes, and Hope can detect the surprise in it, “what is it?”

She’s not even snapping at Hope. _Wow. She must be upset. Maybe a friend is just what she needs right now._

Hope smiles, and holds out her hand to Lizzie.

“May I have this dance, Miss Saltzman?” She winks. “Would hate to miss the opportunity to dance with the birthday girl.”

Lizzie releases a breath, realising what Hope is trying to do. She smiles back, and Hope catches her heart flutter.

“Certainly, Miss Mikaelson.”

Almost as an afterthought, Lizzie turns to Rafael, who just nods, gestures to Hope, and takes a step back. Hope doesn’t think Lizzie should even have to ask for permission, not on her birthday, and not if he’s upset her so much. But it’s hardly her business, she supposes.

Lizzie puts her hand in Hope’s. Hope’s heart is racing now, and she can’t seem to calm it. But it’s not racing in the anxious way it was before. This way is _nicer._ She’s never really experienced it before, and she hopes it’s not the last time she does.

Hope pulls Lizzie a little closer to her, but is unsure of whether to make the first move. Lizzie, however, takes the decision from her, putting her spare hand on Hope’s waist and pulling her even closer. Barely inches apart now, and Hope can feel Lizzie’s breath, and she wonders if Lizzie can feel her thudding pulse.

Hope places her spare hand on Lizzie’s shoulder, and the pair begin to dance, with such rhythm and ease it feels as though they’ve been partners for life. Hope hasn’t always been so good at dancing. She wonders how much Lizzie has an impact on her abilities.

“Thank you, for that,” Lizzie whispers, once out of earshot of Rafael, “I really appreciate it.”

“It’s okay. Saw a girl in need, and I had to intervene.” Hope chuckles, a little nervously. “Is everything okay, though? It seemed kind of… intense.”

A moment of silence falls. Hope swallows, scared she’s pushed Lizzie too far. But Lizzie just sighs, and her grip on Hope’s hand tightens.

“Just a healthy dose of pure rejection. Rafael’s special birthday present, just for me.” Lizzie laughs bitterly, but Hope can hear the vulnerability behind it. “I guess I deserved it. I was too forward. I always am.”

“I don’t think you are.” The words of comfort fall so easily from Hope’s tongue, she wonders how the hell she and Lizzie haven’t been talking like this before. Being so close to Lizzie, and talking to her almost as a friend, is so much easier than having her as an enemy. “And you definitely didn’t deserve it. I mean, it’s better that Rafael told you sooner rather than later if he wasn’t interested, but there were probably better ways for him to do it.”

“I guess.”

Lizzie’s disbelieving, that much is true. Hope’s stomach knots. She had no idea Lizzie deals with so much insecurity. She takes a shaky breath.

“You’re a good person, Lizzie. I genuinely believe that. I know we haven’t always got on, but…” Hope sighs. “That doesn’t mean I want you to be miserable. Because I really don’t, and I don’t think for one second you deserve that. If you’re gonna be with anyone, you deserve to be with someone who really wants to be with you. Someone who’ll treat you right.”

“I don’t think that’s possible. That’ll never happen. Not to me.”

“I wouldn’t say never.”

The girls meet entirely each other’s gaze now. Lizzie’s eyes glisten with tears. Hope smiles softly, praying that will bring her some comfort.

“Maybe if you let someone in,” Hope speaks gently now, “and let them get to know you, the _real_ you, not the you everyone usually sees. If you were to let him — or maybe her —“

Her voice catches on that, and she waits to see Lizzie’s reaction. Lizzie barely bats an eyelid. Hope silently wishes that her palms aren’t sweating. “If — if you were to let them see the real you, let them break down your walls. If someone’s willing to stick around for all of that, and stick around after that, then that’s who you deserve. And I really think it’s possible for you.”

Another silence befalls them. Lizzie looks at Hope with a softness she’s never seen from the blonde before. She holds her breath, anticipating Lizzie’s response.

“Can you think of anyone who would be willing to wait for that?”

_Holy shit. This is happening. Be cool, Mikaelson._

Hope smirks, and pulls Lizzie closer again. She can feel Lizzie’s heart thudding as strongly as her own.

“I can think of one person.”

A small smile plays on Lizzie’s lips now, too. Hope’s legs turn to jelly. Her palms are _definitely_ sweating now.

“Well then, I’d be stupid to miss that opportunity, wouldn’t I?”


End file.
